


Intro to Autoshop

by shanachie



Series: Autoshop 101 [1]
Category: Need for Speed (Movie 2014)
Genre: Other, Pre-Relationship, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 04:38:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17501717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/pseuds/shanachie
Summary: Finn doesn't get the answer he wants, but he might have found the answer he needs.





	Intro to Autoshop

**Author's Note:**

  * For [its_not_my_fault](https://archiveofourown.org/users/its_not_my_fault/gifts).



> I've been talking about doing a teen verse for this movie for a long while. And I think I've finally got a start. We'll see how it goes. It will probably be slow since I've got so much else I'm working on. Thanks so much to its_not_my_fault for all her help!

Joe Peck looked up as the door to the auto shop creaked open. He wasn’t expecting anyone and with his hands in the guts of a mid-eighties sedan, he didn’t really want to move. The dark haired boy who stopped just inside the door wasn’t anyone he recognized and he knew the majority of the other boys who worked in the shop. Although he normally spent his non-school hours at Marshall Motors, he still had to complete a certain number of hours in the shop to get his credits.

The two boys stared at each other. Joe didn’t move from his position, his hands still holding tight to the bits of the engine he’d been working on. Meanwhile the stranger stood at the door as if frozen in place. After a minute, Joe ducked his head down, concentrating on freeing his hands without making a mess of the engine.

A clang from the doorway drew his attention and he jerked his head back up. The other boy had knocked over a precariously balanced stack of oil pans. “You shouldn’t be here,” he pointed out. “It’s after school. Did you get lost?”

“If I shouldn’t be here, you probably shouldn’t either,” the boy pointed out, looking up from his attempt to pick up the pans. “What makes you different?”

“Never said I was different. I just have permission,” Joe responded. “So did you get lost?”

“Not exactly?” The boy ducked his head. “I was supposed to be here earlier, but…” He shrugged. “I’m Finn.”

Joe considered him for a minute as he finally freed his hands. “Joe Peck. Are you planning to take auto shop?” He hunted around for a minute, attempting to find a cleaning rag in a bucket next to the car.

“I’m hoping to,” Finn admitted. “I wasn’t allowed to sign up for it. The principal said I had to talk to a Mr. Peterson?”

Nodding, Joe turned to yell, “Peterson!”

A portly man came out of the back room, glaring slightly at Joe. “What have I told you about hollering my name?”

“I figured you’d rather I holler than drip oil and other stuff all over the floor,” Joe answered.

In answer the man threw a rag at the dark haired teen. “Clean yourself up. Why are you yelling?”

Joe indicated the younger boy still hovering in the doorway as he began rubbing briskly at his hands. “He wants to speak with you.”

The man leaned against one of the standing tool carts nearby and crossed his arms. Looking the slight boy up and down, he asked, “And why do you want to speak to me?”

“Mr. Peterson? My name’s Finn. The principal said if I wanted to take shop, I had to talk to you.”

“What grade are you in, son?” Peterson asked.

“Freshman,” Finn answered promptly.

The teacher shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t help you then. We don’t let freshmen take auto shop. Or even sophomores.” He glanced at Joe as he said the last. “Except in very special circumstances.”

“Not even if I can prove I took auto shop at my last school?”

“It’s not your skills,” Peterson responded. “It’s your age and legalities.” He pushed away from the cabinet and pointed at Joe. “Your time’s up, in case you weren’t watching the clock, so clean up and get yourself gone.” His words were clearly a dismissal since he disappeared into his office when he finished speaking.

Joe nodded, moving over to the sink to begin washing up. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed Finn still standing by the door, now looking mulish. “He won’t change his mind.”

“So what makes you so special that you get to take shop?” Finn asked after a minute.

Shaking water off his hands, Joe dried them before grabbing his backpack from where it was stashed. “Never said I was special. But I’ve been around cars pretty much since I could walk.”

“What like changing oil and tires and shit?”

Joe snorted, even as he moved out of the shop and down the hallway. “Not even. Although I can do that. If that’s all you can do, it’s a good thing Peterson told you no.”

“I can do more than that. So why do you care about cars so much?” Finn was persistent as he followed the broader boy down the hall.

Joe raised his hand to wave at a couple of the athletes that were heading out the door after practice. “Who says I care that much? Maybe I’m just that good.”

“How’d you get that good then?” Finn insisted.

Joe had to give him that, the kid didn’t give up. “You wanna know? You gotta trust me.”

“Dude, I just met you.”

“Don’t.” Joe shuddered. “Don’t call me dude.” Joe pushed the door open, heading for the edge of the parking lot and his ride. “And I’m not asking for your virginity. Just take a little ride with me.”

“Really?” Finn stopped as Joe reached his bike, unhooking the helmet and holding it out to him. “Wait. This is yours?”

“For now. At least until I graduate and get something a bit… bigger.” Joe wiggled the helmet. “Now you wanna see or not?”

Finn slipped the helmet on in answer, straddling the bike behind Joe, and hanging on. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Revving the bike, Joe headed out of the parking lot. As he hit the street, he sped up, grinning at the whoop that came from behind him as he took a curve at a high speed.

 

 

A man came out of the building as Joe coasted into the lot, shaking his head as the boy bumped the bike up onto the curb. “You’re going to bust a tire doing that,” he commented.

“Not today, Pops,” Joe replied. “I got someone for you to meet.”

“Yeah? I noticed you had a friend.” The man held his hand out. “Hi. Tom Marshall. How’d you meet this degenerate?”

“Um. At school?” Finn offered. “I’m Finn?”

“You sure about that, son?” Tom looked at Joe. “Did you kidnap him?”

“Not exactly,” Joe said. “He wanted to take shop. And you know what Peterson is like. Then he just kept asking questions. So I figured… why not?”

“Are you guys with the mob or something?” Finn blurted out.

Tom burst out laughing, only stopping when he realized the young man wasn’t kidding. “No, kid, if I was in the mob, I wouldn’t be a mechanic.”

“What Pops isn’t telling you is he owns this place,” Joe said. “And if you actually know your way around a shop, maybe you can help out.”

Finn’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Tom’s gaze softened. “Yeah. Really.” He motioned towards the bay. “Come on in. Meet my actual son and their other friend. And we’ll see what you can do. No promises, but I can always use another hand around here.” As Finn headed inside, Tom pointed a finger at Joe behind his back. “We’ll talk about you just bringing random kids to the garage.”

“I don’t think you’ll regret this one,” Joe said. “You should have seen his face when Peterson told him no. It was like Peterson took his air away.”

“If he turns out to know which end of a wrench to use, you’re forgiven. Otherwise…”

Joe groaned. “I know. I’m cleaning the shop for the next month.”

Tom slung an arm around his shoulders. “You got it.”

From inside, they could hear Finn greeting Tobey, Tom’s son, and Benny, the third member of their group. It sounded like he was already being welcomed. Maybe their little group was about to expand.

 

_The bike Joe rides is a[black Kawasaki KLX250S](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d9c-blnfkeM/TabqF9jMWnI/AAAAAAAAB3s/GpuCd4gwA3U/s1600/2011-Kawasaki-KLX250S-black.jpg)…most likely customized._


End file.
